Seton Hall Hall didn’t lose its shirt at Mohegan Sun, rallying from 13 down and taking its first lead with 37 seconds left to escape Dan Hurley-led Rhode Island 60-55 in the Hall of Fame Tip-Off consolation. Hoops Haven’s thoughts and quotes (read my newspaper game story here):[1]

1. Endgame execution, check. After misfiring against Washington with the game on the line, the Pirates did everything right in the final minute. They forced a shot-clock violation, got the ball in the Fuquan Edwin’s hands for the go-ahead bucket, and sealed it with a steal. It’ll be a season of fits and starts, and that poised final minute was a start for this young group.

2. Tommy Maayan might prove to be quite the find. In that decisive final minute, the freshman point guard fed Edwin’s drive, stripped Rhody’s point guard, then made his two free throws. Shades of Donald Copeland and Jordan Theodore right there. Five assists and four steals is a good night’s work for the Israeli.

3. That’s more like it for Gene Teague. His 21 points and nine boards were appropriate considering the size advantage he held inside. His teammates fed the beast—the Hall’s interior passing was very good—and most impressively, Teague made 7-of-9 free throws. Now his challenge is to play like that against the bigger boys.

4. Rhode Island played a superb game. It was Jim Carr’s scout and the former Rutgers assistant had the Rams in the right spots all night on both ends of the floor. This severely undermanned team plays hard and smart (ask Ohio State, which had to work to beat them Saturday). Dan Hurley didn’t get that win over his alma mater, but he pushed it to the limit. When the talent starts pouring in next winter, look out.

5. Mohegan Sun Arena is a good venue. It seats 10,000, which is the perfect size, and the configuration is cozy. Unfortunately it never got more than half-filled over the two days, and scheduling games for a Sunday night is asking for an empty building.

DAN HURLEY

On facing his alma mater: “I thought about it a lot during the day. My experience at Seton Hall for the five years I was there, helped form the man I am today. I’m proud to be an alum . . . but once the game started, they had a blank jersey on.”

“Our guys played their hearts out, did just about everything we wanted to do in the game. I feel like our kids deserved to win but in sports deserving has nothing to do with it.”

KYLE SMYTH

“We dug down deep and did what we had to do—we got out of here with a win. We have to learn to not put ourselves in these situations as far as digging ourselves a hole. That’s effort and playing hard; it’s more than just execution.”

TOM MAAYAN

On the late-game steal that sealed it: “My instinct was to go for the steal. I kind of thought he was about to cross the ball over. I was waiting with my hand over there. I knew I was going to get it.”

“Every game I’m gaining more confidence.”

KEVIN WILLARD

On Maayan: “He played tremendous. He had one stupid foul but for the most part, he was a difference-maker tonight.”

On Brandon Mobley’s knee injury: “MRI tomorrow. It’s looking more like two weeks if the MRI comes back the way we think it is.”

On Hurley: “I played against Danny. Danny did a tremendous job at St. Benedict’s, he did a unbelievable job at Wagner, and he’s going to do an unbelievable job here. He was a fighter as a player and his teams really have his personality on the court. He’s going to be successful wherever he is.”